‘You have to be excited’ – Triple Crown dreams for O’Brien with Darkness Falls

It may not obviously stand out as a date to remember, but September 15, 2012 was the day Camelot came within three-quarters of a length of joining the Triple Crown immortals, the first since Nijinsky in 1970.

At Newmarket on Saturday, Triple Crown dreams were ignited by his son, as Darkness Falls dropped in distance to win a red-hot Darley Dewhurst Stakes a second Group One of a fine juvenile campaign and one that suggests the sky is the limit.

It is a position trainer Aidan O'Brien has been in before. Three years ago to be exact. That day it was City Of Troy drawing the superlatives from the Coolmore collective after the Dewhurst.

In the spring of 2023 it was Auguste Rodin who headed to that year's Guineas with the moniker ‘Triple Crown' candidate.

Now the operation that has long been in pursuit of racing's holy grail could have a fitting candidate in the “very special” son of the horse who has come closest to fulfilling that long-held dream.

O'Brien said: “How many years have we been trying to win a Triple Crown? We always thought this lad could be the one of ours that is a Triple Crown horse if we have one and he could have got beat today and still be. He didn't lie down today and he's very exciting, isn't he?

“You can never be sure he'll stay a mile and a half and further, but he got a very tough-run nine furlongs at Leopardstown and that means he will definitely get a mile and a quarter as a two-year-old and if you're getting that at two with his class, you'd imagine he would get a mile and a half around Epsom.

“Like City Of Troy, this lad is very special and when he won his maiden he looked like our number one juvenile and then he went and did what he did at Leopardstown (in the Group One Golden Fleece). To come back after a tough race like that and do what he did today, he has to be very special.”

When you pull through the gates of O'Brien's Ballydoyle base the statue of Nijinsky serves as a timely reminder of what is most treasured by those nurturing their equine athletes in a hallowed and tranquil corner of Tipperary.

It was under the tutelage of O'Brien's predecessor, the great Vincent O'Brien, that the son of Northern Dancer sauntered to all three English Classics and in the 56 years that have followed only Nashwan, Sea The Stars and Camelot have had the opportunity to join such elusive company.

Two of the aforementioned chose Paris and the Arc over Doncaster and while Oh So Sharp can claim her own place in the record books by registering the fillies' equivalent, for O'Brien emulating Nijinsky and those before him remains the “ultimate test”.

“The Triple Crown is out of fashion at the minute because you simply can't get a horse to do it,” explained O'Brien.

“How can you do it? It's a very difficult thing to do, but it's only when you get one you think is capable you then realise exactly how difficult it is to do.

“It's the total test of the thoroughbred, you're running a mile up here (in the Guineas) and at that time of year it is like a fast sprint. Then you go to Epsom to test the stamina and quality over a mile and a half and then you are asking them to stay even further in the St Leger.

“You are testing every bone in their body, it's the ultimate test and if they can pass that they are special. They are more than unusual.

“We knew how special Camelot was and he nearly did it, but he didn't. He's a very good stallion who puts an awful lot of class into his horses, like we see with this lad.”

For City Of Troy, Auguste Rodin and many others down the years, Triple Crown dreams would end at the first hurdle.

Darkness Falls will get his own chance in the first Classic of the year in May, and having passed what presented as the perfect dress rehearsal, dreams are well and truly ignited of history being created once again.

O'Brien said: “We thought City Of Troy was very special when he won this race, but it was always going to be very difficult for Darkness Falls to come back to seven furlongs from nine.

“It was John Magnier's idea and I thought it was a big call and the nine furlongs he ran over last time was a tough nine, the ones on the pace that day burned out and walked home.

“This horse has an awful lot of class and a lovely mind. He came here to see if he was going to be a Guineas horse and if he got anywhere close today then you could say he was. It was an unorthodox preparation for a Dewhurst really.

“He's very uncomplicated, he's very classy and Ryan (Moore) felt he had plenty left. At least now we can sleep now over the winter, see what happens in the Guineas and go from there. You have to be excited.”